I have just spent the last month building my first piece of furniture, a queen size cherry bed. I was wondering what the best way to put a finish on it. I really do not want to use a poly on the bed and was thinking about a clear danish oil finish, but I am not sure how durable that type of finish would be. I want the bed to age naturally. Any thoughts and suggestions would be great.

-- Scott, Illinois

21 replies so far

I used danish on my crib, other then the teeth marks its held up so far, it is about to get a second round so I’ll see how that goes. Before the next kid goes in I’ll add another coat or two; doesn’t seem to need it but refreshing can’t hurt.

That is pretty harsh Clint. I’ve done poly, varnish, paint and shellac on a number of projects; at the end of the day I happen to like danish oil and BLO on certain projects and think it can be nicer. I could do another finish over the oil on the crib when I modify it to make it a non drop side but I don’t think any of them would look as good. Finish should be based on style, desired look and intended use and you shouldn’t belittle another person’s choice.

I use lacquer, oil, and poly but when I poly I use satin. I don’t like the plastic look either and the satin fills that requirement. I apply the the poly with combed sheepskin pads which gives me a lot of control. For lacquer I use a rattle can and for oil I use clean room, lint free, cotton rags.

My finish for Cherry is to scrape smooth, sand to 600.. drench the surface with Danish oil.. wait… as the oil sinks in it will go dull… put more on.. wait.. put more on.. wait… put more on.. wait… until the oil stops soaking in… wipe it dry… Let cure for 48 hours… sand to 1,000, polish with steel wool until it shines… soak with oil… put more on.. wait.. put more on…wipe it dry… let cure over night… a few coats of wipe on Poly. Though what I use on Cherry trim is a Naptha/oil/beeswax finish… makes it very soft to touch.. it vibrates in color and darkens nicely.

The truth is.. people who like oil.. just like the way it works with wood.I guess one can sand to 320 and varnish…it’s like a tiny fraction of the time, but it looks like it was.

-- " 'Truth' is like a beautiful flower, unique to each plant and to the season it blossoms ... 'Fact' is the root and leaf, allowing the plant grow and bloom again."

ouch clint, I suppose woodworker didnt start valuing their work until the invention of polymers and plastics. What about woodworkers who send their work out to get finished due to space and permit restrictions related to spray booths??

I quite like oils, danish is a simple and good one. Oils age handsomely compared to some more modern finishes and can be rejuvenated with less work. Im not a genius finished so perhaps thats why I like the oil, but I like my first few coats are applied generously and with rag and wiped off with a clean one. Then I like to apply a few coats with a soaked piece of steel wool.

KISS!..........keep it simple scott. Since this is your first piece of furniture that you are finishing, I would suggest using something that is pretty easy to work with and not screw up. As recommended above, your oil finish is a pretty good way to go. Wipe on, Wipe off excess, let dry, repeat untill desired look. I don’t know the details of your bed, but it’s a lot of surface to work with and if you have a lot of crooks and crannys to deal with, then a brush on finish or spraying an even coat gets a little more difficult. As far as durablity goes, I wouldn’t think you need a poly finish or anything like that. Surrounded with pillows, blankets, comforters, sheets and a mattress, not sure how much protection you need. (just kidding).

Every finish has it’s pros and cons and the more finishing you do, the more you will probably find one product that you like as far as ease of use, the look, the feel, ease of repair and durability. My finishing techniques and products have changed over the years based on many factors, as I’m sure yours will.